Reliance
by insanity and co
Summary: As far as Iruka's concerned, this mission is a travesty. It's only the opinion of Kakashi that convinced him to take it in the first place. Now, stuck in the middle of nowhere with his ex-student and teammate taken by god-knows-who, he reevaluates his loyalties and the relationships he holds close. This may be the last mission Iruka ever accepts, but it's not done with him yet.
1. Chapter 1

**RELIANCE**

_~insanity and co~_

Author's Note: This is my first story on this new account, however I have many more stories on an old one. After a massive amount of writer's block, I've decided that my writing style has changed so much that it was frustrating to continue the older ones and force the ideas to come. My style has changed a bit, but I hope that people enjoy this new story as much as my older ones. For info on my previous account, read my profile.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I do own the enemies I have fabricated, and the situation's I've put the character's in.

As a brief warning, I am not up to date with the anime or the books. I believe I stopped somewhere around the time the flashbacks began (did anyone elses interest just plummet? No? Just me, then?), so I don't know exactly what happened with the Akatsuki attack. If anything here contradicts what actually happened, I'm sorry and please let me know. Maybe there's a way I can fix it. If it would change my own story too much, then tough cookies, I'm writing it this way. :)

Beta: SkyRider, and a friend who doesn't have an account on here. Thanks you guys! :)

Onward, ho!

* * *

The Leaf shinobi made their way slowly down the path, Shino with his hands in his pockets and Kiba gripping the fur in front of him, legs on either side of Akamaru controlling the pace to keep with their teammate. The two enjoyed the slow pace, catching up on the latest word flying around Konoha and enjoying each others company, all the while scanning the treetops and bushes around them for any signs of disturbance. The area to the west of Konoha was a fairly untraveled path, making it easier to pick up on the subtle clues they were looking for.

The forest floor was speckled with shadows and the ground under their feet (and paws) was damn and cold; the sun was welcomed after an unusually cold and wet fall, leaving the air fresh from rain and filled with the leafy scents of the forest. Kiba took a deep breath, reveling in the sharp, tangy pine scents that attacked his nose, making it burn in the most pleasant way.

"Only Hinata would find it a _bad_ thing," Kiba grinned, sharp canine teeth a contrast to the blood red fangs on his cheeks.

"She's always underestimated herself. She doesn't see her own skills as assets to a mission," Shino commented lazily, eyes scanning the trees overhead behind his sunglasses. Kiba could read enough of his friend's face to see the tiniest of smiles behind his tall collar, quite a reaction to the normally stoic Abruame.

Kiba tsked, a long finger itching the fang on his cheek.

"That she does. I think she was the only one surprised that they picked her." Kiba recalled watching Hinata biting her fingernails back down to their normal stubs and stuttering more than usual as she readied herself for the upcoming mission - to aid the Mist in rebuilding and reorganizing their hospital that had been recently ransacked. She was scared that she would mess up one of her first missions to the Land of Waves without her teammates backing her up.

Kiba and Shino, on the other hand, were excited _for_ her. To be chosen by the Hokage with a handful of other ninja was an honor, and even though their sensei had tried explaining to the shy girl what it all said about her reputation and talents, Hinata was shaking and fidgeting all the way to the gates (and the Inuzuka was sure she would be until they reached the Mist).

Their attention was brought away from their missing teammate when one of Akamaru's ears flicked and Kiba felt his companion's sides rise and fall as he carefully smelled the air. The three immediately stopped and Kiba followed suit, breathing in the comforting scent of the forest fresh after a rainfall once more, searching for anything else there besides the flowers a few feet behind them and the stream to their side. There was something, but it could be anything. Still, not knowing what it was made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and goose bumps appear on his arms.

Shino's head tilted to the side, watching Akamaru's mouth open and nose twitch and Kiba did the same, the two working in perfect sync, using each other to better further their own understanding of the area around them they couldn't see. A particularly sharp breath from Akamaru (followed by a slight baring of teeth on Kiba's part) set Shino on edge. He readied himself for a signal from one of them, his fingers itching as he flew through the hand-signs that came second nature to him.

A flurry of bugs flew silently and low to the ground, sticking to the shadows as Shino sent them ahead. He watched closely, eyes darting between Kiba and Akamaru and waiting for a sign that they had pinpointed what it was and where it was coming from. Akamaru's head turned ever-so-slightly to the right as he tasted the air, but the dog owner turned to the left, eying the heavy bushes at the base of some larger trees. The contradiction was puzzling; the two were normally in perfect harmony. Shino's hand gripped a kunai, still concealed in the pocket of his jacket. His bugs were coming back to him now, climbing up through his pant legs and tickling his skin.

Kiba and Akamaru were too caught up in their own tracking to notice Shino's subtle pointing straight ahead of them.

It was in the smell that clung to the tiny breeze that moved the leaves just enough to be noticeable, Kiba was one hundred percent sure of it as he took a long, deep breath, fingers gingerly gripping the fur at the base of Akamaru's neck to steady himself. He knew this forest (and all it's natural smells throughout the seasons), and underneath the fresh smell of warm fall rain and deep scent of bark and pine needles and dirt, there was something else. It was subtle, though, he thought with a growl as he bared his teeth in frustration. Whoever it was that was smelling...off, did a damn good job of covering it up.

The movement of Shino summoning a larger army of bugs next to him did little to distract Kiba; it had been hard to find this new, off-kilter smell, but he was onto the scent now and there was no way he was letting it go. Akamaru's sides heaved sharply as the dog took in short, sharp breaths, head raised and ears alert. Kiba let out a low, calming shush to Akamaru when the dog let out a long, high pitched whine, alerting his owner. He dug his fingers into the soft fur behind his ear to scratch the soft spot there, Akamaru's head tilting into his hand and his breaths becoming deeper as the dog relaxed.

Dark flecks had accumulated around Shino's entire jacket, the growing glossy bodies of the insects creating a wave of shimmering black and white around the shinobi's entire body. Kiba couldn't ditch the familiar twist in his gut, the sight of the bugs bringing an itch to his own skin where only the fabric of his uniform touched.

"You're getting that too." Kiba's voice was hushed, a slight tilt of Shino's head the only indication of a response. Akamaru's weight shifted under Kiba and in an instant a growl tore through Akamaru's throat, head jerking to the right where he had tracked the origin of the smell. His hackles raised and Kiba ran a hand over the back of Akamaru's neck and shifted his own weight, hand brushing the kunai pouch on his hip as he placed it behind him to steady himself, eyes searching the shadows of the undergrowth where Akamaru's focus was.

A low, familiar hum brought Kiba's attention back to his teammate, who now had a larger summoning of bugs swirling in the space around his hands. Shino's foot slid to the side, opening his stance as the bug's hum got louder.

The only warning that the three got was the snapping of a single branch somewhere behind them before they were no longer alone in the pathway. Akamaru took off, bounding in a flash to the undergrowth, both the ninja and his nin-dog baring their teeth as they barreled into the undergrowth, flushing out the shinobi that was hiding there.

A sharp sound of metal on metal reached Kiba's ears and in the moment that Akamaru spun around - almost throwing Kiba off in his chase of the shinobi - he saw a kunai drop from the shield of bugs that formed a flexible mass in front of Shino. The shinobi they were after was fast, but the Inuzuka hound kept on his heels, snarling and barking and snapping when they got close enough. Kiba watched carefully for the pattern the ninja took as he ran, circling back to where they had originally been ambushed and taking to the trees. Akamaru adjusted immediately and suddenly the two were jumping as one between branches, dodging the kunai thrown over the enemy's shoulder easily and snarling when a second one cut through the dog's fur.

Something slammed into their side and the two came crashing down from the treetops, unable to right themselves in time with the force of the blow that stole the wind from their lungs. Something sharp cut across Kiba's face as he fell, and in the moment that he landed on the ground he watched a kunai sink into the wet grass a fraction of an inch away from his nose. Warmth dripped down his cheek and he licked the blood away from his mouth. Kiba winced when Akamaru landed on his arm, the painful weight lifting immediately as Akamaru burst forward, his attacks relentless on the new shinobi who had joined the fight, allowing Kiba to take another deep breath and confirm something that had been nagging at his subconscious since the smell of dust had first reached his nose. There were more of them.

A sharp cry was barely audible over Akamaru's barking, and Kiba was relived to hear it was not Shino, but one of the enemy shinobi. Kiba jumped in with Akamaru, their moves in perfectly practiced unison as Kiba rushed forward, slashing viciously with a kunai at the enemy. A masked face looked back at him, wrapped hands blocking the blows and a heavy gray fabric protecting his leg only a bit when Akamaru finally got a grip. The large dog dragged the shinobi to the floor with sharp jerks, only pulling away when the enemy deflected one of Kiba's attacks and sank a kunai deep into Akamaru's shoulder.

The sharp yelp stole Kiba's breath more than if he were the one stabbed, and a growl tore through his bared teeth, a new fire lit behind him and urging him forward. He gripped knives in both hands hard enough to turn his knuckles white as he took wild and quick jabs at the shinobi. Satisfaction washed over Kiba with every scratch he made on the young shinobi before him, quelling the fire only a bit when one of his attacks connected hard with the side of the shinobi's head. Kiba's muscles relaxed a fraction when the sound of the enemy ninja's body slumping to the floor reached his ears, not allowing himself to calm down enough, though. He immediately crouched over Akamaru, a bright red splash across his white coat turning Kiba's stomach cold. He quickly pulled the knife out, aware that Shino was still battling the ninja no more than twenty feet away.

"Sorry, buddy," he whispered, pushing Akamaru's whining snout away when the dog tried to stretch and lick his side.

The warm blood that ran from the knife to Kiba's hand had his gut sinking, but he let out a long-held breath when Akamaru whined and leaped up, the pitch of his cry telling Kiba he was okay, but the stumble in his pace saying he could barely walk.

"Stay," Kiba gave the firm command with a hand briefly on Akamaru's head. His warm nose pressed into Kiba's palm.

Kiba turned, leaving Akamaru and rushing through the undergrowth, bursting into the pathway and barreling into the side of an enemy shinobi that had been aiming a sweeping kick at Shino's legs. Kiba's shoulder connected somewhere and they went rolling into the bushes, blows landing on his arms held in front of him the moment they came to a screeching halt.

Battling the new shinobi in front of him - a short girl with a similar, wild style as his own - Kiba was partially aware of the two forms on either side of himself, concealed only visibly as their dusty scents immediately assaulted him. Kiba, grinning through his uneasiness as the odds were slowly stacking against him, threw himself back through the only opening he saw to evade the three shinobi.

Three. There were _three_ before him now, and who knew _how _many were attacking Shino, Kiba thought, grunting as his back hit a tree trunk. They had both only smelled one, and if that one had been just a tiny bit better at concealing his scent they would have been completely oblivious to the ambush. Kiba momentarily staggered against the tree, but regained his balance and widened his stance. He pressed his weight into it and used the tree to stabilize him, adding more power to his kick than normal and sending the wild girl flying through the undergrowth. A splash told Kiba she was twenty feet away, in the stream that ran just on the west side of the village.

A bitter laugh came from somewhere to Kiba's left - a little _too_ close for his comfort - and a tall, older man stepped into Kiba's line of sight. He brushed the back of his hand against his cheek, moving the majority of the blood away from his mouth where it mingled with the scents of the forest and that lingering scent of dust. The shinobi's hands moved quickly, making hand seals and thrusting toward Kiba. He didn't wait to see what sort of ninjutsu the older shinobi was using; he rolled against the tree's thick trunk, using it as a shield and a crutch while he caught his breath.

A loud, feminine scream tore through the forest - more terrified than in pain - and Kiba briefly recalled the feeling of absolute revulsion when Shino had surrounded him with his army of flying insects. If the woman hadn't been attacking them at the moment, Kiba may have felt bad.

An unusually long sword sank into the tree beside Kiba, his quick feet saving his thigh from being sliced open. Kiba leaped into the familiar trees above him, leg muscles shaking with the adrenaline and fear pulsing through him, running to the source of the woman's frantic screaming. Two ninja stood near Shino, though the battle appeared far different than the one Kiba had just been fighting.

The short woman - soaking wet and covered in insects - was thrashing and screaming, and by the gargling sounds she made as she sank slowly to the floor, she was being suffocated by the army. The two men beside her - both clad in the same thick gray material that Kiba had never seen before - watched Shino with wary eyes, taking a quick glance at each other as their companion's body finally became visible. The bugs retreated back to Shino at the subtlest clicking of his tongue; Kiba's trained ears just barely picked up on it after years of fighting alongside the bug master. The mass crawled along the ground and flew in large groups back to his teammate before disappearing into his over-sized jacket, the familiar humming growing louder.

Kiba fell to the clearing beside Shino and he straightened, unable to continue out-running the long-sword-bearing shinobi much longer. One girl and one man was dead - the blood on Kiba's hand made the smooth metal of the kunai in his hand feel slippery and clumsy - but there were still four ninja standing before them, various weapons drawn. While they watched the two warily, Kiba didn't count on them staying on their side for long.

"About time some Leaf ninja showed us some fun, yes?" one of them spoke, the tip of his long sword digging into the soft ground by his feet. His thick accent registered in Kiba's mind briefly as somewhere north, but no more words were exchanged.

The humming grew louder in Kiba's ears and his skin began to itch and burn all over. Kiba refrained himself from acting like the wild girl had and panicked. His gut twisted with the feeling of bugs - flea's! - crawling over his skin and in his hair and between his fingers. Shino's bugs were maneuvering under his shirt and pants and _everywhere_ they shouldn't be for a good reason, to protect him as the four ninja jumped forward.

* * *

Udon wiped his nose, sniffling again and smiling apologetically when Moegi grimaced at the sound.

The two recent graduates from the Academy sat in the training field, having been dragged from their beds to train at an ungodly hour that shouldn't even _exist_ by a determined Konohamaru would wouldn't take 'no' for an answer (let alone Moegi's mother screeching about the boy needing to get out of her daughter's bedroom). She tugged at a pigtail to straighten it, still feeling the heat on her cheeks from having her mother...well..._mother_ her so much. (Moegi was _officially _a ninja, clearly she could take care of herself.)

"Just take the whole pack." Moegi pushed the small pouch of tissues to her sick teammate, feeling only a little guilty about her reactions to his sickly noises. Udon blew his nose into a new tissue - and she was proud to say only her eye twitched at that! - before their third teammate approached them, sweating and panting, though smiling all the same.

"Come on, guys! We need to work. Now! Now!" Konohamaru whined, looking more exasperated than he had in the past few days. He had been getting increasingly more tense and nervous, wanting to push their team to their absolute best on what _should_ be a week of rest while their sensei was away on a mission to the Land of Waves.

Moegi's head snapped to Konohamaru. "Give him a break, 'Hamaru!" Moegi emphasized the nickname that she knew would drive him insane. "He's sick, he shouldn't even be training at all right now. Ebisu-sensei would have a fit if he knew you were forcing him to train like this."

"Sick? Sick?" Konohamaru yelled, pointing an accusing finger in Udon's direction. Udon simply held another tissue to his nose, his eyes watering and stomach twisting too much to defend himself against his teammate's sheer volume. "He's fine! Just look at him!"

Moegi gave Konohamaru an unimpressed look, eye twitching at the noisy nose-blowing beside her. Regardless of her revulsion of all things flu-related, Moegi knew Udon wouldn't stand up for himself in this situation. So she took it upon herself to speak up on his behalf.

"Lay off," Moegi said through gritted teeth, irritated with both of her boys at the moment and wanting to just go and enjoy one of their days off. "We should be relaxing anyway, Konohamaru. Your body needs rest so it can repair itself."

"Rest. Rest won't get us fighting alongside every other ninja in the village when..." Konohamaru scoffed, turning away from his teammates and running back into the center of the training field. He had almost said 'when the war comes', but there was no 'official gossip' of war yet. But dammit, he had his ears open and was willing to grab hold of any bit of gossip that came his way.

Konohamaru's fists clenched and he threw furious punches at a post.

It _felt_ like a war was coming. It felt like something was coming...Konohamaru just couldn't put his finger on it. Apprehension clung to the air around the older ninja as it had before. His breathing became labored with the effort he put into every punch and kick, pushing his body harder and harder because he _had_ to. He just _had to._ In the passing war, he and all the other Genin had been pushed back and protected like _children._

"_Children_," Konohamaru spat, his teammates too far away to hear him.

They were no longer children... they were shinobi and the thought that they could be pushed aside once more to watch every other shinobi fight for their village and the lives of their friends and family made Konohamaru feel sick. He had watched it all happen before, and he wouldn't watch it again.

This time, he would be ready.

This time he would fight.


	2. Chapter 2

**RELIANCE**

_~insanity and co~_

Author's Note: No big news yet on this story, just busting some more chapters out. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I do own the enemies I have fabricated, and the situation's I've put the character's in.

And away we go!

* * *

"It was a waste of time to send us there in the first place!" Hana Inuzuka yelled, stance wide and arms spread out, looking as if she would lunge across the room at any moment. Tsunade knew there was little chance of that (still, though, a chance) and sat calmly behind her desk, fingers steepled as she let the girl scream on. Hana's jaw was clenched and her ponytail had come undone several minutes ago; the band was laying on the floor and her long hair whipped around her head with every sharp and aggressive movement. "What were we even _doing_ there then? Huh? It was pointless and a waste of manpower if you didn't intend to let us _do_ anything about them! We couldn't even get a proper location because _he_ pulled us back!"

Hana spun around and pointed an accusing finger at her team's captain, who stood against the wall and turned to Tsunade with wide eyes. The wild girl before him was a newer addition to his team, and the sheer volume of her voice and the sharpness of her insults had surprised him, to say the least.

"Calm down, Hana-"

"I will _not_ calm down and don't talk to me like I'm a _dog _that needs to be _trained_!" she screeched indignantly, looking more and more like a feral animal as the minutes dragged on. "We could have _done_ something about the people who hurt Kiba but he pulled us back. The mission was useless because of you!"

Once more, Hana took a step towards her team captain, and he took one back, hands flexing at his sides as if waiting for her to finally jump forward and attack him.

"Hana." Tsunade's firm tone finally shuts up the irate girl, who stands with her hair wild around her face and eyes wide. "He called the team back to Konoha for a good reason." This didn't seem to have a calming effect on Hana, but Tsunade wasn't expecting it to. She held up a hand as the girl's mouth opened, ready to send another spitting insult in either her direction or her captain's - it didn't really matter either way. "The mission was to track the shinobi who attacked Kiba and Shino, and you did."

"But we couldn't-"

"Your mission wasn't to follow and destroy, Hana," Tsunade held up her hand again, amused only a little by the way she followed that command so naturally. "The location of the shinobi was found, and as per my orders, your captain pulled you back."

There was a long pause while Hana stood fuming in the middle of the room, though she finally appeared to be calming down. Her captain, however, didn't look like he was going to take his wary eyes off of her, and Tsunade figured she would get a transfer request with their names on it in the near future.

The few shinobi that lined the walls finally seemed to gain Hana's attention, though almost all had been watching her intently since she kicked the doors open and screamed loud enough to burst some ear drums. Kakashi sat at a small desk beside Tsunade's own, reclined with a scroll in his hand and watching the kunoichi with a raised eyebrow, and Izumo stood against the wall near the door, mouth agape since the screaming began.

Embarrassment looked bizarre on the wild Inuzuka girl, Tsunade decided as she watched Hana glance around the room, cheeks turning pink though her eyes periodically turned sharply to her captain. Tsunade figured she wouldn't completely calm down until she could get her claws on whoever had hurt her little brother.

A faint scream came in through the hallway, bouncing around the walls before it actually reached the Hokage and the shinobi.

"This is _not_ going to happen! No way in _fucking hell_." The words got louder slowly, and even Hana turned to the open doorway as the stomps of an even more irate shinobi echoed through the hall.

Iruka's booming voice carried into the hallway as he continued, shaking his head, ranting and raving all to get the point 'no' across the large desk to Tsunade, who sat calmly with her hands in her lap. Today had been a long day, and Tsunade's patience for screamingly mad ninja was running desperately thin.

Iruka came stomping into the Hokage's office, a mission's scroll held so tightly in his hand that it was now crinkled and bent. His face was red from screaming and the shinobi around the room who knew well of Iruka's temper let their pens drop to their desks; in this situation, the mere sound of something scratching on paper could set him off in their direction next. Kakashi was the only one who didn't look startled by the sheer volume of his cries, and set his own scroll down as well.

"No!" Iruka finally yelled, fists clenched as he threw the scroll onto the Hokage's desk. It bounced and rolled only halfway across the desk to Tsunade, and Iruka took deep breaths through clenched teeth.

"No?" Tsunade asked, watching as Iruka _snarled_. It was a reaction more fitting for the shocked Inuzuka next to him, and made him look a little...un-tamed.

"Yes. _No._" Iruka spat, turning his glare to the scroll as if it was the bane of his very existence. Tsunade grabbed the bent scroll and unraveled it briefly, tearing an edge. She remained aloof, though she had to work to hide the smile as she got such a strong reaction from the ex-teacher.

"You are back on regular mission's duty, correct?" There was no response, but then again, Tsunade wasn't expecting anything but more screaming from the irate man. "Iruka-san, I believe it's very rude to turn missions down when you're hand-picked for them." Tsunade spoke in slow, calm words before even looking up at the shinobi, letting just enough amusement flow into her voice and she watched the scar across Iruka's nose crinkled in the effort to hide another growl.

"I don't care." The normally polite teacher looked as if he were about to spit in rage, but the Hokage sat silently for a few moments, letting Iruka's breaths slow, though he was far from calm when she broke the silence.

"And I don't care if you don't want to go," Tsunade briefly wondered how sick it was to be amused by such a strong reaction, "it's your mission."

For a moment, Iruka's jaw hung open, face still red and a few pieces of hair falling out of his ponytail.

"You _bitch_!" At this, everyone in the room who hadn't looked appalled before, did now. Even Kakashi's eyes were wide, looking to the Hokage to predict how the turn to personal attacks would be received. "This is a _sick_ idea of a mission that will get a young child _killed_."

Everyone's interest seemed to peak at this, eyes flying between Iruka and the scroll now rolled back up and pushed aside.

"I will not be apart of your twisted game of sacrificing your own shinobi," Iruka spat, looking more and more disgusted as the seconds ticked on.

"You will," Tsunade spoke calmly, trying the same tactic that she had used with Hana moments before and holding a hand up to silence him.

"Do you get some sick pleasure out of using humans like they're a game of chess? Who cares if a few die, right? As long as they're pawns and not pieces that _matter_."

"Shut up!" Tsunade's hand flew out and slammed on her desk as she stood, bent low to look across her desk at Iruka, who looked like he may actually be sick at any moment. "I don't care who you are, _nobody_ accuses me of not caring about the lives of Leaf shinobi." Iruka didn't respond, but the sour expression on his face said he didn't believe her, either. "I chose _her_ because of her skills and talents. In this situation, age does not matter. Quiet!" Iruka opened his mouth but she pointed a finger in his direction and her words were firm. Her voice was slow to steady her own temper as she continued, hands firmly planted on her desk, eyes daring Iruka to interrupt her again. "I chose you because you're fitting for the position. As her previous teacher, she listens to you more-so than her jounin sensei. That is absolutely essential for this mission to be completed."

Tsunade sat back down with a thud, looking exhausted from today's turn of events.

"Send an older shinobi. I know there aren't many available right now," Iruka cringed as his comment was taken the wrong way, but he continued on. "But there's got to be someone else who can do this." Since the previous war, Konoha had lost many of it's elite shinobi. Tsunade's eyes lowered to her desk to collect herself as her temper ran wild, aware that his words hadn't been an accusation of their deaths being on her hands. Over the past few months, many teams had been sent out to farther away missions, and Konoha was generally lacking in elite shinobi at the moment.

"There's not," she said shortly, eyes tired and void of that previous fire when she looked back up at Iruka. "I'm sorry, but this is your mission."

Iruka stood in the middle of the room, eyes fixed on his Hokage as he thought silently to himself. Kakashi picked up his scroll again, recognizing Iruka's frustration when his hand flew to his head to calm the wild pieces that framed his face.

Tsunade took the mission scroll and tossed it back to Iruka. He caught it, looking more off-guard than a trained shinobi should be. "You're dismissed."

Iruka stood silently for a moment, just staring at the scroll before turning and leaving the room, eyes widening as he took in the amount of people in the room that had slipped through his attention. A shock of silver hair had Iruka's gaze lingering on the Copy Ninja, but Iruka left the room quietly, closing the door with an almost-silent click - a bizarrely quiet exit considering his entrance had been so massive.

Hana glanced around the room, temper now gone though her eyes lingered on her captain for a moment. Realizing that Tsunade was no longer paying attention to her and was now pulling several books off the shelf behind her desk, Hana slipped out of the room as well, closing the door quietly behind her.

Iruka's pace quickened as the heard the second click, surprised when he saw the reflection of Hana in the glass at the end of the hallway. He wasn't sure who he was expecting - Kakashi seemed like the only one in the room who would have followed him after such an explosive fight - but then again, he knew the kind of pressure the elite shinobi were under during these rougher times.

"You have to go." Her words were pained and forced, her voice hoarse from screaming and tired from fighting.

"I don't want to," Iruka said quietly, turning to lean against the wall and feeling more physically exhausted than he had in a while.

Hana didn't say anything for a moment, but just as Iruka was about to turn and leave the building she opened her mouth and closed it again, fighting for the right words to say to convince the older shinobi.

"I don't know the specifics of your mission," she admitted, pointing to the scroll in his hand and then holding her arms, "but whoever you're going after hurt Kiba and Akamaru. Please, we- _I _need to find out who did it." This feeling of vulnerability felt foreign to Hana and her arms tightened around her stomach, her desire for it to leave turning into a physical defense.

Iruka didn't say anything for a while. He had known that Kiba was now in the hospital, as it made him almost as sick as the thought of sending an even younger shinobi into the grasps of the people responsible. He fought with these feelings for a moment, the two standing silently in the hallway.

"I'll think about it," he finally said, glancing at Hana long enough to see her temper flare before he left. The fight with Tsunade had left him feeling both physically and mentally drained; another battle with the Inuzuka girl would prove to be too much for the day, Iruka decided, turning the corner and leaving her behind.

* * *

Iruka watched his feet, feeling like his sandals were filled with rocks with every step he took. He marveled at how an emotional reaction could so easily effect him physically, but he mostly just watched his feet, feeling too tired to dwell on his emotional distress. The scroll felt heavy in his pocket and Iruka kept his hands close to his side, feeling like he would be burned by the paper if he touched it. He would somehow be accepting the mission if he were to touch it - without burning it, that is. Iruka had hoped that with each step he would slowly figure out the right thing to do, but he was far from the Hokage Tower by now and his mind was still racing between accepting and declining the mission.

Ultimately, the choice was Iruka's. A shinobi couldn't be forced to take a mission they weren't comfortable in, but more often than not, the ninja trusted their Hokage enough to blindly trust their decision as well. Iruka had falling into those steps since he had been back on active duty, but when he had opened that scroll in the Mission's Room he thought for sure he would throw up right then and there.

Tsunade did have her reasons - that was something Iruka wasn't expecting - but that didn't make Iruka's nerves calm down. The idea was still fresh in his mind and proper reason was hard to swallow.

His tired feet brought him past the Academy, and while the sun was slowly starting to go down now and the students had long-since gone home to their families, the light to the teacher's lounge was still on, casting a light across the grass of the playground.

Iruka maneuvered the familiar hallways and pushed the door open to the lounge, feeling sluggish and exhausted as he waved hello to Daimou - one of the two remaining teachers of the school who had been too old to even offer returning to active duty again. At one point, Daimou had been a wonderful ninja, but at some point over his career he had suffered an injury to his leg that left him unable to properly fight. The man, now a calmer and happier version of his younger self, had been teaching at the Academy ever since, helping Iruka learn to teach.

The old man looked surprised to see Iruka, but the lines around his face intensified as he smiled pleasantly all the same and pointed to the coffee machine on the counter.

"Just made a fresh batch if you want some. You look tired," he commented kindly, taking a sip from his own cup and setting it down on the table beside him - his own filled with homework and quizzes and tests.

"No thanks, I won't be staying long." The familiar room brought a pang of homesickness to Iruka's chest, even though it had not been long when he, himself, would be sitting in this very room grading papers into the dead of night. The coffee machine gurgled loudly and turned off, the jar filled. In the summer, Iruka would always enjoy opening the window a bit and listening to the kids play and enjoy the breeze.

"How has active duty been treating you?" Daimou asked, glancing up at Iruka from his papers before looking back down, red pen flying over the pages after years of practice.

Iruka sighed and sank into the dirty brown couch. It was uncomfortable, but familiar, and it made Iruka feel a tiny bit better just to be sitting on it again. "I miss teaching," he said solemnly. Daimou chuckled, but didn't say anything. "Tsunade gave me a new mission today, but I don't know if I'm going to accept it yet."

At this, Daimou raised an eyebrow, dark eyes wide as he took in Iruka's exhausted appearance again. "I haven't heard of someone turning down a mission in a long time. This may be a first since Tsunade became Hokage." Iruka was disappointed that his colleague's tone didn't show approval one way or the other - he was just commenting, which wasn't what Iruka was looking for.

"She wants me to take a genin on a mission to North Country, to assess the amount and abilities of the shinobi who attacked Kiba and Akamaru a few days ago. A team tracked them to a spot in the mountains, but Tsunade wants to know more about them before we plan any sort of attack or retaliation." Daimou hummed, flipping a page over to decipher the student's scribbling. Again, Iruka was left disappointed. "It's dangerous, though. And with her being so inexperienced with battling older shinobi... I hate to think of anything happening."

"Who does she want you to take?" Daimou sounded interested as he took another gulp of coffee.

"Hanabi Hyuuga." Daimou's gaze shot back up at Iruka before his shoulders seemed to shrug in an amused chuckle. "What?"

"I can see why she would want you to go," he took a moment to write a grade at the top of the paper before adding it to the 'done' pile to his right. At Iruka's raised eyebrow, Daimou played with the pen in his hands and contemplated the shinobi for a moment. "She's a feisty one."

Iruka let out a sharp laugh. He had been expecting a wise and well-thought out explanation, as was common from the aging ninja.

"Well _I_ know that," Iruka laughed, feeling a bit of weight lift off his shoulders as the old man smiled at him.

"You were her teacher for years and she listens to you," Daimou said, smile still on his face despite the rather serious tone. "It's only logical that Tsunade send her with someone she has experience with - a new teacher would only frustrate the girl if they didn't understand how to work with her."

Iruka felt a little relieved that Daimou was now helping Iruka in a certain direction, it just wasn't the way he wanted. He had gone to the Academy hoping that his fellow teacher would side blindly with him, but Iruka wasn't angry at him for his opinion. Now, as more and more people seemed to gang up on him and push him in the direction that made his stomach sink and his head hurt, Iruka felt like his own argument against going on the mission was lacking.

"Thanks," he said with a smile, standing from the dirty brown couch and leaving the room with a wave.

"Anytime, Iruka."


	3. Chapter 3

**Reliance**

_~insanity and co~_

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far. :) I really appreciate it. I've had a lot of fun writing this. Iruka never used to be my favorite character but I suppose he's grown on me!

Beta: No beta for this chapter yet. :) But if anyone has some serious criticism (even left via review instead of formally through PM's), that can change.

Enjoy, and please let me know what you think at the bottom! (We don't even have to click a review button, now. :))

* * *

Iruka kicked his sandals off and nudged them to the side, jiggling the door handle briefly to check that it was locked.  
He quickly stepped into the kitchen, eying the fruit bowl as he took off the two pouches at his waist; he gave the last banana another day before it was too far gone. Iruka sighed heavily as he knelt down and grabbed the several kunai he hid at the hem of his pants, setting them down with a clink on the counter.  
"Leftover's in the fridge," a cool voice called out from the living room and Iruka gave the kitchen a once-over. There was no giant pile of dishes...no pots and pans left scattered around the counters... Iruka's stomach was still flipping from the earlier argument and the battle going on in his own mind, and leftover takeout didn't sound as appetizing as it normally did. It didn't seem to settle when he recalled seeing Kakashi earlier in the Hokage's Office, either.  
Iruka's cheeks burned red when he remembered everything he had said - and especially, who he had said it to! How had he not even noticed Kakashi until the very end of his little episode?  
"Not hungry?" Kakashi's eyebrow was raised, head craned to watch Iruka from over the back of the couch. Iruka let out a - sadly - undignified snort when he saw the book cradled in the Copy Ninja's hands, feeling a tiny bit of tension leave his shoulders with the sudden laughter.  
"No, not really." Iruka sighed, shrugging off his vest and tossing it over the back of the couch. He came around and sat next to Kakashi heavily, muscles visibly tense as he sat on the edge of the cushion.  
Kakashi dog-eared the page he was on and sat the book down on his leg, arm stretched out over the back of the couch. He sighed when Iruka's gaze remained on his lap, giving the orange book a dirty look until Kakashi grudgingly set it on the coffee table and slid it to the edge, as far away from Iruka as possible. He relaxed back into the couch and his hand came to rest beside Iruka's on the cushion. He watched the muscles in Iruka's hand twitch as his fist tightened, pulling the tanned skin over his knuckles and paling it.  
"That was quite the show you put on," Kakashi laughed, fingers stretching out to run over the back of Iruka's fist.  
"Shut up," Iruka snapped, just the corner of his mouth turning up as he tried not to look so embarrassed. He had hoped that Kakashi wouldn't bring it up in the first place, now he just hoped that he would be able to live it down.  
"No, really. You even surprised Hana, and she had been screaming at Tsunade like that before you got there." Iruka blushed despite his attempts not to. He hadn't even considered what kind of meeting he was interrupting...he just did it.  
"I didn't interrupt anything important, did I?" Iruka asked, feeling more exhausted than ever when Kakashi grabbed his hand and flipped it over in his lap, having to pry his fingers open before running his own along the lines on his palm. The tan man felt a warm tingle fly up his arm and the muscles in his hand immediately relaxed. He had been so tense for so long, the feeling felt foreign and only a little uncomfortable.  
He smiled despite himself. It had been a long time since the two were able to just sit. Not rush off to another mission. Not train. Not work on strategies so that they both could at least come home safe. Just...sit. Kakashi immediately noticed the tension leaving Iruka and his fingers left his palm and moved to the soft skin of his wrist, smiling as he felt the beating of Iruka's heart in his fingertips.  
"Just some war strategies," Kakashi said offhandedly, smiling when Iruka shot him a mock-hurt look, unable to pull it off completely in his slowly-relaxing-state, so he compensated with smacking Kakashi's chest with his free hand. It was grabbed before Iruka could pull away and he was suddenly jerked forward.  
The tension seemed to melt away from Iruka when Kakashi wrapped an arm around his shoulders, tucking Iruka's head under his chin and letting his fingers ghost up and down his forearm. Iruka stretched his legs out in front of him, letting the muscles cramp for just a moment before relaxing.  
"About the mission? She came out and told me to accept it," Iruka's said, his voice muffled a bit in Kakashi's sweater but he couldn't bring himself to pull away so Kakashi could hear him clearer.  
Kakashi hummed, watching the hair on Iruka's arm begin to stand up at the touches. "About Kiba and her own missions. But mostly her new team captain." Iruka just closed his eyes, not finding the energy to respond now that the tight muscles around his shoulders and neck began to relax. The two sat silently on the couch and Kakashi continued to run his fingers over Iruka's hand and arm, the warm breath on his neck making him feel more comfortable than he had been in a long time. Shivers ran through Iruka's entire body and he relaxed even further, eyes closing and enjoying their silence. When he stopped for a moment Iruka sleepily groaned and moved his own arm to gently scratch at Kakashi's shoulder, encouraging the man to continue.  
"I don't want to take the mission," Iruka admitted quietly, and when Kakashi didn't respond he wondered if he had heard him at all or if he had fallen asleep. He moved to pull back again but a warm arm around his shoulders tensed and stopped him.  
"You don't have to." Kakashi's response was simple, but just like with Daimou, Iruka was left feeling a little disappointed in the lack of direction he was given. He didn't advise Iruka against taking the mission - the stinging meaning behind his sleepy words saying that he agreed with the Hokage.  
Iruka took a long, tired breath. "I know, but I should."  
Kakashi didn't say anything after that, and just rested his chin on the top of Iruka's head, allowing themselves to just relax completely in each other's company and relish in the close contact that had become scarce since before the war had begun.

* * *

The morning dew was just melting from the grasses around Konoha by the time Iruka stepped into the Mission's Room at eight sharp. There were a few shinobi standing around, most having been told to be ready for another emergency and being too wired and tense to go back home and wait. Izumo sat at one of the few desks, chin in the palm of his hand and staring at a pile of paperwork as he, too, waited.  
Iruka politely greeted a few of the other ninja, coming to sit at a spare chair beside Izumo.

"You'll have it rough." Coupled with a grin, it was Izumo's way of teasing him this morning as he took in the new uniform the mission required. When Iruka didn't respond, he continued. "I heard about that Inuzuka kid. You're going after the ninja who attacked him and his teammate, right?"

"Yeah." A low whistle followed Iruka's tired response.

"So why's the Hyuuga kid tagging along? Seem's a little young for this kind of thing. I thought there was a mistake when I read the mission," Izumo said, patting a scroll on his desk and with a flick of his wrist sent it rolling to Iruka. He grabbed it before it rolled off the edge of the desk and unraveled it enough to confirm it was their mission.

"There aren't any other Hyuuga's in the village, and the Hokage wants a Byuakugan on this one," Iruka said, feeling he couldn't bring as much enthusiasm to his voice as he normally could. Izumo either noticed this or realized there was no gossip in this story - either way, he dropped the topic and returned his chin to his hand, staring at the other shinobi in the room with tired eyes.

Iruka tucked the scroll into his thick gray vest, crossing his legs and feeling like just _maybe_ there would be time for him to rush over and convince the Hokage to let him take someone else before Hanabi got to the office. The thought was tempting. If he caught her on a hangover, the sheer volume of his voice would do wonders for his side of the argument.

Before he could continue that thought any longer (or feel any more pleasure at screaming at a headache-ridden Tsunade in his head and causing her a great deal of pain), the door to the Mission's Room opened and Hanabi peaked her head in.  
"Oh, you're here already." Iruka paled a bit at the obvious lack of enthusiasm. He hadn't expected her to be flying off the walls as Naruto would have done in her position, but something other than 'oh' would have been nice. Iruka stood and waved to Izumo, who flapped his wrist in a response.  
"Hello, Hanabi. Are you ready?" There was a frown set on her face and her arms were crossed as she entered the Mission Room, eying the ninja around Iruka as she shut the door behind her. Before she could, however, it was kicked wide open and two more small children stormed into the room.  
The shortest, a freckly redhead, threw her arms around Hanabi and squeaked something that sounded like 'stay safe'. Hanabi stood with her arms pinned to her side and wide, pale eyes seeking Iruka's help as she was squeezed a little too tightly. The girl slowly stepped back and gave Hanabi a watery smile, moving to stand beside the slightly chubby boy - the third member of their team.  
He smiled shyly at Hanabi, and she looked relieved when he made no move to clamp onto her as the redhead did. Instead, he nervously ran his fingers through his wild brown hair and stared down at his feet, stealing glances at the youngest Hyuuga child when she wasn't looking.  
"Come back in one piece, will you?" The boy gave a nervous laugh and Hanabi rolled her eyes, catching his gaze for just a moment before he was looking at his shoes once more.  
"It's not that bad, guys. Stop worrying. And don't forget to keep training while I'm gone." The boy nodded but the girl brought her fists up to her mouth, looking as if she was tearing up, another squeal swelling up as she struggled to remain still.  
Iruka grinned, hoping to comfort Hanabi and distract her teammates as he walked over and hooked his thumbs under the straps of his backpack.  
"I'm afraid that's all the time we have for goodbyes. But don't worry, Ari, Taisuke," Iruka addressed Hanabi's teammates gently. "I'll get her back safely. Did you have any trouble with the uniform?" Hanabi looked incredulously up to Iruka at his question, taking in the appearance of his own new uniform. The light gray material was better suited to blend into the mountain ranges than their usual blue and green, and the thick material would be the difference between freezing and managing in the cold. At the moment, however, it seemed ridiculous. The material was too thick for easily maneuvering through the trees and thick forest.  
It took some getting used to, Iruka thought, watching Hanabi shift the material over her shoulders.  
"No," she said, head turning to the side and a frown pulling at her mouth.  
Iruka grinned. She may be a natural fighter, but Iruka had picked up on her tells as quickly as he had with any other student.  
"Okay then, let's go." Iruka decided sometime between wrestling Hanabi out of another one of Ari's bear hugs and when they entered the surrounding woods, that he wouldn't help Hanabi with her uniform until she asked. The moment they walked through the North Gates and took to the trees, Iruka noticed the almost jerky movements she made with every landing; her leg wrapping were too tight - the same mistake Iruka had made, himself, when he first donned the uniform.  
Her mouth was set in a firm line and her pale eyes didn't deter from their path. She was a determined one, and it would be a wasted effort forcing the young Hyuuga to realize she needed help. Iruka had learned this lesson first with Neji, then had been foolish enough to think that Hanabi would be more like her timid sister, Hinata. He grinned as he lead them through the forest, remembering one of the many times he had been snapped at by the small girl beside him.  
Iruka figured they would be on their way home before the sharp-tongued girl would dare to admit she needed his help.  
That was fine by him, he decided, leaping through the trees with ease and pushing their pace just a little bit faster.

* * *

The trees were behind them now, leaving the scene before them empty and cold with gray stones casting sharp shadows across the flat stretch leading to the mountain range. The two stood side by side and while Iruka stretched his legs, Hanabi stood with her hands on her knees, still gasping for breath after the last stretch of running.  
Iruka turned to look behind them at the lush forest. They were officially out of Fire Country now, the stone beneath their feet and the chilly wind making that crystal clear, but they were now behind schedule. While he had pushed their pace a little bit, they should be over the first mountain by now. But Iruka didn't mention that now, and instead turned his attention to his teammate.  
The deep breaths next to him seemed to be slowing down as Hanabi stood straight again, sweat lining her forehead and pale eyes scanning the valley and mountain before them. In the distance, more mountains reached higher and higher. Iruka saw the apprehension pinching her mouth into a frown.  
"Need another minute?" Iruka asked, trying his best to smile politely when her eyes darted over to him quickly. She seemed to take in his lack of exhaustion and scowled.  
She had donned the same sour expression as when Iruka first met her at the Mission's Room, and it didn't seem to be fading any time soon.  
"No, I'm fine." She was lying through her teeth but Iruka shrugged, letting Hanabi race ahead for a moment before following her to the mountains.


	4. Chapter 4

**RELIANCE**

_~insanity and co~_

Author's Note: Yay! Chapter four! : ) I am enjoying writing Hanabi's character more and more. Why did I not give her character credit before?

Anyway. Read. :) Enjoy. :) Review if you're in a particularly review-y mood.

* * *

They were dry and cold, crinkling as Iruka ran his hand through the coarse blades of grass. Just now being touched with the warmth of sunlight, Iruka and Hanabi sat at the edge of a valley between two steep mountains, having only made it just over the first mountain by sundown.

The patch that they found had been one in a million; the cold temperatures chasing all the vegetation and wildlife to the forests in the south, leaving bare mountains and deep, empty valleys. Several rocks were piled at the base of a small hill, having slid down unceremoniously across the well-traveled path.

One of Hanabi's legs swung near Iruka's head; she had insisted on sitting on the higher rock after Iruka made a joke about her being short. It hadn't even been a joke to begin with, but Iruka quickly jumped on a chance to tease the quiet girl when he was explaining why she tired out so much faster than he did. He failed to mention the vast difference in their experience and build, and the look on Hanabi's face when he blamed her for being short (and therefore, slow) had been priceless and adorably cute. She was so caught off guard with such a small jab, Iruka wondered if her teammates had gotten under her skin yet. No doubt, after nearly a year of training together, Hanabi had the young Genin intimidated by her natural skill and motivation (and he suspected her bloodline limit frightened many other teams as well). Iruka briefly imagined a small, chubby Taisuke cowering in the corner if Hanabi was angry with him.

Her sandal slid against the rock near Iruka's face, kicking up a few tiny pebbles. He turned to look up, watching as Hanabi's eyes scanned the mountain before them. The sun was just peaking in from their side, bathing the valley in a bloody orange and casting sharp shadows across their path.

Iruka found the pale orange sunrise to be beautiful. From further south, the sunrise tended to be the lightest shades of blue and yellow, oranges and reds not coming until sunset. Hanabi's eyes were trained hard on the trail before them, eyebrows drawn together and chin resting on a pulled up knee.

Her sandal scuffed the rock again and this time she jumped, looking sharply in Iruka's direction with a distinct frown on her face - he had been caught.

"What?" she spat sharply.

Iruka smiled a little and Hanabi's frown deepened.

"What?" she cried again, an edge of exasperation in her voice that Iruka had never heard before. It made him smile that much more.

"Nothing, Hanabi," Iruka answered politely, turning from her to the view before them. The smile never left his face and it seemed to irk Hanabi even more. She turned her head away and pulled her other knee up, wrapping her arms around her legs. "How are you liking your new team?"

He turned just enough to catch the scowl fly across Hanabi's features, but turned away before he was noticed.

"They're okay," she answered after a moment, defensively glancing down at her ex-sensei.

"Just okay?" Iruka fixed her with a knowing grin and she turned away again, eyes hardening at his playful tone.

"They're fine," Hanabi insisted, shoulders and eyebrows raising. "Can we just get going, now?"

Iruka nodded and stood, swinging his backpack over his shoulder and turning to check that nothing had been left behind. Hanabi did the same, moving to adjust her pants before they took off for the morning.

Iruka raised an eyebrow at Hanabi, causing her to stop and give him a wary look.

"Do you need any help with the new uniform?"

As he was expecting, Hanabi shot Iruka an incredilous look and scoffed, adjusting her backpack.

"No, it's fine." Iruka held his hands up in surrender at her sharp tone but Hanabi had already turned away and began walking down the path before them.

* * *

Iruka's pace had not been too demanding for a Chuunin-level ninja, which was another reason that Iruka had not wanted Hanabi to come along on this mission. By the time they stepped foot on the top of the mountain ahead of them, the young kunoichi was panting again, sweat making her forehead glisten in the sun. They should be at the base of the next mountain by now, Iruka calculated with a glance to Hanabi when she stopped.

"We need to keep moving," Iruka commented lightly, preparing himself for the harsh jab that would no doubt be tossed his way.

But nothing came.

Iruka turned to see Hanabi clutching her side, backpack down at her feet and pale eyes searching out the mountain before them.

"Can we take a quick break?" she asked. Iruka was taken aback by her soft tone. There was no malice there, no defensive quip that would leave a fellow Genin speechless.

"Okay." He had said it more out of shock, and collected his thoughts moments later. "But just a short one. We need to cover three mountains by nightfall, this time." For all her efforts, Hanabi did shoot Iruka a glare before sitting down with a thud on the ground, pulling her backpack over to her side and fishing out her water. Iruka sat beside her and did the same, sipping on his own water and enjoying the refreshing breeze that bit at his warm, exposed skin. Once his skin cooled down, though, that wind would become uncomfortably cold; they had to keep moving, even just to stay warm.

Hanabi's eyes closed when a gust came through, lifting her ponytail just a little and cooling her sweaty forehead.

"I know it's difficult, but we need to keep moving with less breaks. Or we need to move faster to compensate for them."

Hanabi nodded and stood, swinging her backpack over her shoulder with a shaky hand. Iruka stood too and gave Hanabi's appearance a once-over. She was much more tired than he an initially expected, eyes lowered and nostrils flaring with every deep breath.

"I can carry you, if you need a rest within the next few hours." Her eyes snapped to him and her mouth formed a thin line, something between horror and disgust flashing across her young features.

"Sick," she spat, turning and leading the way down the other side of the mountain. "I don't need to be carried, Iruka-sensei. I'm not a _baby_."

Several kicks and punches were thrown, but Iruka managed to dodge them all and shifted the small girl to a more comfortable position on his shoulder.

"Put me down you _sick bastard!_" Her screeches echoed through the cold air around them and Iruka grunted when a small foot connected with his stomach. He shooed her foot away and continued down the path, the petite Genin thrown over his shoulder, kicking and screaming.

"When you calm down a bit, you can ride piggy-back style." Iruka bit his lip when a tiny foot connected particularly hard with his stomach.

He blocked another kick and picked up the pace, legs burning as they made their way up the mountain.

"You fucking bastard! Put me down! I can run! I can run! Sensei or not, I will _murder_ you." Iruka was surprised at some of the words that flew from the young girl's mouth. The last comment had made Iruka laugh, but Hanabi's words were largely ignored, and ever so slowly, her kicks and punches began to lose their gusto.

"Are you done now?" Iruka asked, glad that Hanabi wasn't able to see his face because right now he was grinning, which would surely have her thrown into another bought of screaming and swearing. When there was no response, Iruka slowed his pace just a tiny bit so he could catch his own breath and shift Hanabi into a more comfortable position on his back with her arms wrapped around his neck. "So, what is your Genin team like?"

She let out a sharp breath near Iruka's ear, and he had a feeling she was glaring at the side of his head.

"Why do you want to know?"

Iruka found he couldn't shrug very well with both his backpack and Hanabi holding his shoulders down.

"Curiosity."

"Didn't a cat die from that?"

Iruka chuckled at her quick-wit remark. "I'm stubborn. Humor me."

She huffed, but since there were no death threats following, Iruka smiled victoriously.

"Like I said before, they're fine."

"How do you like you're sensei?"

"Rouiji-sensei? He's fine, I guess." Iruka smiled at her attempt to cover her emotions; the word 'fine' hitting his ears too often for him to buy any of it and her arms loosened around his shoulders. If she could physically distance herself from him, Iruka would bet that she would be halfway down the mountain by now.

Hanabi sighed heavily. "You won't let this go, will you?"

"I don't intend to, no." Iruka smiled, still breathing heavily as they reached the tip of the mountain. His arms were beginning to burn from remaining in the same position, locked under Hanabi's legs. Now that he was sure she wouldn't throw another kick to his already bruised ribs, he loosened his grip.

"I don't like Ari."

"Small, red-head?" Iruka asked, smiling when Hanabi scoffed.

"Squeaky voice, annoying as hell," Hanabi added in, smiling when Iruka craned his neck to look back at her out of the corner of his eye. "And she's always trying to fucking hug me. It's gross."

"Where did you learn your language? I'm sure your father wouldn't approve," Iruka scolded, smirking when the small twitch in Hanabi's lip disappeared. "I won't tell him." She seemed to relax a bit at his whispered comment and her arms tightened around his neck.

"Thanks."

"And Taisuke? I remember him being added to your team as well." Iruka remembered the name only, and it wasn't until Hanabi began talking again that he recalled what Taisuke had looked like. Quiet, average looking boy with rounded cheeks and a little more baby-fat than most kids his age.

Hanabi shrugged. "He's alright. He doesn't talk much, though, and Rouiji-sensei doesn't like it when I tell him what's wrong with his ninjutsu." She let out a sharp laugh, her warm breath coming across Iruka's neck. "But he's horrible! What would happen if he totally missed the enemy and wasted all of his chakra in one go? He would be taken out like that." Iruka jumped when Hanabi's fingers snapped so close to his ear.

He couldn't help it, Iruka was all-out grinning now. The small girl on his back immediately came off as sharp-tongued and independent, but there was a side of her that cared...even if there was a different way she showed it. Iruka wondered if this was a new development in her character or if it had always been there, hiding beneath the surface, just under those sharp opal eyes. From their reactions in the Mission's Room, Iruka figured that her two teammates had seen past her bravado, or simply didn't care to tip-toe around it enough to acknowledge it in the first place.

"What?" Her voice took a darker tone and Iruka realized his mistake - he had laughed.

"Oh, um- Nothing, really." It was too late. She was squirming again to get off his back, but this time instead of attempting this by sheer strength and force, she took advantage of her size - a technique Iruka would have to remember to praise her for. She began squirming, and was able to slip both of her hands free before Iruka got a better grip on her.

"Down! Now! Let me down now, you bastard! You're laughing at me!" she cried out in shock, mouth agape as Iruka's roaring laugh filled the cold air around them.

"I'm so sorry, Hanabi," Iruka lied, smiling and laughing as Hanabi's knees dug hard into his ribs.

"Let me go, you freak!" She began thrashing again, kicking and punching anything she could possible make contact with.

"Okay, okay!" Iruka shrieked when Hanabi's heel came a little too close to his hips for comfort. He quickly released her, as she requested, but she wasn't ready for it. Hanabi tumbled back onto the hard ground with a loud thump, rolling a little away from Iruka before skidding to a stop.

Her hair had come loose of it's low ponytail and she pushed it away with thrashing hands, furiously pulling it back and glaring daggers to Iruka who had the _gall_ to keep laughing! He was doubled over with his hands on his knees, taking deep breaths to calm down.

Hanabi's face had turned bright red by the time Iruka was finished laughing, the deep blush was the only thing giving away her discomfort now. With an eyebrow raised, she crossed her arms and adjusted her stance, motioning to the road ahead of them.

"Are you done now, sensei? I think we should keep going." Iruka had to bite his lip as Hanabi stalked past him, ponytail flicking side to side at her quickened pace.

* * *

"Can we make a fire tonight?" Hanabi sat snug between two larger rocks, and while they did well to protect them from the harsher winds, the air was still freezing cold and the small Genin was shaking. Iruka dug his fingers as deep into his pockets as they could go and settled into a space near her. Both had blankets wrapped around them tightly, but the fabric did little to protect them from much more than frostbite.

"Not now." Hanabi visibly deflated, forehead coming to rest on her drawn up knees. Iruka smiled sadly at her, wishing for a fire as well but they did not have the same luxury that the missions she was accustomed to allowed. "If there is some heavy fog later on, then we can. But when it's clear like this it will give away our position too easily."

"I thought we weren't near their hideout yet." Hanabi's voice was muffled, but Iruka could still understand her as she breathed warm air into the tiny space she created between her knees and her chest.

"We aren't, but we have no idea what kind of scouts they have checking the surrounding areas. And besides, North Country is civilian, but they won't welcome us with open arms." At this, Hanabi lifted her head enough to peak over at Iruka.

"But they can't do anything if they know we're here, even if they don't like us." She tucked her arms into the warm space, pulling her sleeves over her hands and cringing as another shiver raked over her entire body.

Iruka shrugged.

"True, they can't. But we don't want to encourage hostility between the Leaf and this country. They're kind enough to let us use their larger village as a base of sorts when we're doing mission's for them, but that's as much as their kindness will allow. I'm sure most villagers believe it to be too welcoming."

For a moment, she looked as if she would continue to fight for their fire but another shiver left her too tired to try.

"Fine, no fire," she sighed in defeat.

Iruka watched her curl more into herself and felt a pang of guilt. At this moment, she could have been curled up safely in her bed if he had just fought a little harder against taking her along. Iruka wondered if she was thinking along the same lines.

"Later. When we pass the village we're bound to run into fog - it will mask the smoke so we can have a bit of a fire."

Hanabi didn't answer and instead wrapped the blanket tighter around herself, her shivers dying down only a little. Her pale eyes bore holes into the surrounding rocks.

"Missing home?"

Hanabi opened her mouth quickly, presumably to shut him down before he could attempt to ask more questions, but she seemed to think better and merely tightened the grip around her legs.

"A little."

"Come here." Iruka motioned to the space beside him. Pulling his hands out of his warm pockets had been difficult, and the icy air immediately stole the warmth from his fingertips.

"Why?" she shot at him. She was not quite glaring, but the look she gave him and the space next to him was anything but friendly.

"Trust me." Hanabi sighed and with tired and wobbly legs, scooted over to where Iruka was sitting. Before she could even let out an incredulous screech of protest, Iruka grabbed her ankle and rotated her around so that her leg was in his lap. By the time she did make a scoffing noise, wide eyes staring in disbelief, Iruka was unwrapping the bandage around her calves.

"These need to be loosened," Iruka answered before she could scream at him. "If there's a bit of space between the fabric and your skin, your body heat will warm it and you'll feel better. You'll stop shaking," Iruka added pointedly, watching with a smile as she stuffed her trembling hands into her pockets with all the subtly she could muster.

After securing the fabric on her leg, he held his hand out to her. She stared at his tanned hand with an absurd amount of distrust, but after a moment, her sharp features seemed to soften, and she let him drag her other leg into his lap and repeat the process. Iruka stole a glance at her expression, growing more and more difficult to see in the dimming light, and felt warm - proud even, that she had allowed him to help her without smacking his hands away or putting up a fight that would have easily lead to more bruised ribs. Her face had lost that mistrusting shield and her eyes watched him work in disbelief - Iruka could only wish to hear what she was thinking.


End file.
